PITTSFORD, N.Y. – The St. John Fisher University men's soccer team won its sixth consecutive game and clinched the Empire 8 Conference regular-season title outright with a 1-0 victory over crosstown rival Nazareth on Wednesday afternoon at Golden Flyer Field.
The Cardinals, who finished the regular season 9-4-4 overall (8-1-2 Empire 8), own the top seed for the Empire 8 Conference Men's Soccer Championship. They will face No. 8-seeded Russell Sage College at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday at Growney Stadium.
"We definitely had some gut-check moments at the end of September and early October," head coach Jack Burgasser said. "To now think that we have rattled off six straight wins and 10 shouts – double-digit shutouts is really hard to do in a season. …You throw two cherries on top when you get to beat your rival and lock up the No. 1 seed. It was an incredibly gutsy performance and a great way to wrap up the regular season."
The Cardinals broke the scoreless tie just more than halfway through the second half on fifth-year midfielder Joey Avallone's team-leading sixth goal of the season. He dribbled the ball about 70 yards before firing it past Nazareth goalkeeper Logan Menna for his third goal in his last two games.
Cardinals goalkeeper Christian Burkhart, who set the Fisher single-season record for shutouts over the weekend, recorded his 10th clean sheet of the season. He made three saves, including a spectacular sprawling stop on Nazareth's best scoring chance with about five minutes remaining in the contest.
The Cardinals have won the Empire 8 regular-season title twice in the last three seasons (2022 and 2024). They shared the title last season with Elmira and had the No. 2 seed in the Empire 8 Men's Soccer Championship.
Wednesday's victory marked Fisher's second in a row over Nazareth. The program hadn't won consecutive games in the series since a three-game winning streak from 2014-16.
Match Notes
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The Cardinals' nine regular-season victories mark their most under head coach Jack Burgasser, who took over the program before the 2020 season.
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The Cardinals' nine wins are the most for the program in a season since the 2009 team won 10 games.
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Only three other Fisher teams since 2005 have won nine or more games in a season.
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Burkhart's 10 shutouts are the most by an Empire 8 goalkeeper since Aaron Henry (Stevens) had 13 in 2018. He's the first conference goalkeeper to reach double-digits since that season.
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Burkhart entered the day tied for third in Division III in shutouts.
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Avallone leads the Cardinals in goals (6), assists (4) and points (16).
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Avallone's 16 total points are the most by a Fisher player since Riley Rease had 22 in 2021.
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Avallone is tied for the Empire 8 lead in goals in conference games this season. His 16 points are the most by a player in conference games.
